Suture anchors are common implants used in the medical industry for soft tissue fixation to bone. These implants are commonly used in orthopedic applications, such as during tendon fixation or ligament fixation to bone. Suture anchors in the industry generally include an anchor body which is loaded with one or more sutures. The suture anchor can be inserted into and secured in the bone by, e.g., threads (i.e., a corkscrew design), a ribbed design (i.e., an interference screw design), a winged design (i.e., a harpoon shaped anchor), and the like. Once the suture anchor has been secured in the bone, one or more sutures can be passed through the soft tissue, such as a tendon or a bone, and a knot can be tied to reduce and secure the tendon to the bone. Some suture anchors may be preloaded with one or more sutures before the suture anchor is to be secured in the bone. For example, a suture anchor may be preloaded with single or multiple sutures, e.g., one to three sutures.
With reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B, alternative designs of a sliding suture anchor known in the industry are provided. FIG. 1A shows a suture anchor 10 which includes threads 12 on an outer surface and an eyelet 14 formed with a post 16 at a proximal end of the suture anchor 10. One or more sutures 18 can be passed around the internal eyelet 14 or post 16 and the threads 12 of the suture anchor 10 can be driven into bone, while permitting the sutures 18 to slide through or around the eyelet 14 and post 16. Similarly, FIG. 1B shows a suture anchor 20 which includes threads 22 on an outer surface and an eyelet 14 formed below the threads 22 with a post 26. One or more sutures 28 can be passed through the body of the suture anchor 20 and around the internal eyelet 24 or post 26 and the threads 22 of the suture anchor 20 can be driven into bone, while permitting the sutures 28 to slide around the internal post 26 and through the body of the suture anchor 20. The sliding suture anchor 10, 20 may be used when tying knots in the suture 18, 28 or can allow sliding knots to be utilized when tying the knot during soft tissue fixation to bone.
With reference to FIG. 1C, a non-sliding suture anchor 30 is shown. The suture anchor 30 can include threads 32 on an outer surface and a distal eyelet 34 external to the bulk of the suture anchor 30 body. One or more sutures 36 can be passed through the eyelet 34 and, as the suture anchor 30 is secured into a bone with the threads 32, the suture 36 can be locked between the suture anchor 30 body and/or threads 32 and the bone by interference and frictional forces which prevent the suture 36 from sliding. Since the suture 36 cannot slide through the suture anchor 30, the suture 36 can be tied using a non-sliding knot. In knotless applications, rather than tying a non-sliding knot, the suture 36 can be held in place only by the frictional forces generated by the suture anchor 30 against the bone.
However, the suture anchors illustrated in FIGS. 1A-1C do not provide the option of inserting an anchor preloaded with one or more sutures into tissue or bone for a sliding suture, a non-sliding suture and a knotless suture technique. For example, the suture anchors 10, 20 of FIGS. 1A and 1B can only be used for sliding suture applications, while the suture anchor 30 of FIG. 1C can only be used for non-sliding suture applications. As such, different types of suture anchors 10, 20, 30 and associated drivers may be required by a surgeon during a single surgical procedure, thereby complicating the surgical procedure.
Thus, a need exists for suture anchors which provide a sliding suture, a non-sliding suture and a knotless suture capability. These and other needs are addressed by the suture anchors and associated systems and methods of the present disclosure.